"Momma Has Dementia And I'm Pooped" by Carol Howell

MOMMA HAS DEMENTIA AND I’M POOPED

It has been one of "those weeks".  I know you have them, too.  Mine seem to come in groups.  Two or three weeks in a row where I give serious consideration to placing my head between the mattress and box springs and camping out there for a while.  

If you have followed SOMETHING TO PONDER for a while, you know my sweet Momma has Alzheimer's type dementia, and my mother-in-law has dementia from a vitamin B deficiency and an imbalance in her blood sugar.  This week has found both these ladies in the hospital.  I am here to announce, "That is not how I planned to spend my week."  It was suppose to be a week spent mainly in my office catching up on the 3,468 things I needed to get done.  Instead, none of those items left my desktop, and I spent my week caregiving.

You need to know this.  I am not complaining.  I believe we, as Christians, have a calling to care for the elderly and widowed in our world.  Both these women qualify under those categories.  I am pleased and honored to be their caregiver.  However, I was pooped. I needed a break!  So, Michael and I took off Friday night for a little R&R, spent the night in a deluxe hotel suite about an hour from home, ate wonderful vegan food, and just escaped for about 24 hours.  Those 24 hours flew by in a flash, but we are a little more equipped for life.

Caregiving can be tough.  It is better, however, when you turn some of that "caregiving" on yourself.  A 24 hour break may be just what you need to put a spring back in your step and a twinkle in your eye.  Hope that gives you Something To Ponder.

About Carol Howell: Carol Howell is a Certified Dementia Specialist and Endorsed Life Coach with an emphasis on Music Therapy. After her husband's brain injury in 1992 and her mother's diagnosis of Alzheimer's in 2006, Carol felt the need to learn about the brain. As her knowledge increased, she became more intrigued and determined to become an equipped and prepared caregiver. Her company, Senior Life Journeys, was born from this desire to learn and help others.

Carol is the author of IF MY BODY IS A TEMPLE, WHY AM I EATING DOUGHNUTS? It tells of the "amazing miracle" that helped her lose 100 pounds. The book is written with the humor and sincerity Carol is known to display in her own life.

Carol also authored LET'S TALK DEMENTIA - A Caregiver's Guide. This easy to read book is full of helpful tips for caregiving, information about dementia, and 23 SMILES that will brighten your day.

Carol resides in South Carolina with her husband, Michael, and they are the proud parents of a daughter who is a physician assistant in Florida.

Carol Howell’s book is available in both ebook (on Amazon Kindle, KOBO and Barnes & Noble Nook) and paperback. The Amazon Kindle link for the book is :

http://www.amazon.com/Lets-Talk-Dementia-Caregivers-ebook/dp/B00CTAW7MS/ref=zg_bs_tab_pd_bsnr_1